Here is something from a local board which cracked me up :
but our server kept everything organized and classy. He also shared a PROTIP about wine: If in doubt, choose the heavier bottle. Vintners don’t waste good glass on cheap wine.
My response was that he was certainly a pro about getting a tip!
They are no good if they don’t fit in my rack. Boycott stupid big bottles.
Why should I pay extra for glass and shipping, just because some winemaker is compensating for something?
There’s a winery in Campbell that uses some monster bottles. They look like 1L but are only 750s.
Apparently they cost about $4 each. The winery wanted an imposing presence on the shelf.
The best bit? They haven’t been able to sign up a distributor. Nobody likes the bottles because they are too heavy.
[imwithstupid.gif]
One other thing: heavier doesn’t have to mean bigger. Montes Purple Angel comes in a really heavy bottle,
but it fits in my rack just fine.
We tried heavier bottles last year, but really, shipping is more, and in this time of trying to be “green” and trying to actually save people money, what is the point?
I remember the first vintage of Luca and Tikal arriving at my store. The truck drivers complained to the union because the case weight exceeded OSHA standards.
Pretty funny
Yes, I am officially boycotting Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke.
In fact, it was KB’s attitude when I complained to them about
the bottles which started the boycott. I figured if they don’t
care about their customers why should I give them my money?
The heavier the bottle the greater the pretense. It is a marketing ploy. There is no compelling, essential reason to use such bottles. I admire and respect producers that concentrate entirely on the wine and have the reason and sense to spare the environment and shippers, not to mention consumers, the expense and hassle of pretentious bottles.
We use the old-school metal racks in the shop. When a winemaker or representative of a winery with overly large bottles arrives to taste with our staff, I’ll take one of their bottles and test it against the racks.
If the bottle don’t fit, you must exit! (say it like Johnny Cochrane, its fun!)
Yes, I’m that much of a jerk, but it seems to send a message that’s heard loud and clear. No matter how tasty your wine, if I can’t display it for sale, I’m not buying it.
exceptions to the rule: Ken Wright and Penner Ash, can’t resist those wines
I’ll agree that for the most part heavier bottles equals better wine…why? Because if they are spending that much for glass they probably spent a good deal of money for good vineyards, good winemaker and good barrel program. Are there exceptions to the rule, absolutely but still usually if you buy a heavy bottled wine you are getting pretty good juice inside. Does it mean I am happy with 3lbs of glass, no way. I still remember being at Sona in LA and Josh grabbed a bottle of Cabernet off a woman’s table and brought it over to pour me a glass. I said what Magnum is that and he said that is no Mag it’s a 750 of MX Cabernet…largest 750 I have ever seen. WOW. The wine was good…should have been it was from the To Kalon Vineyard.